The present invention relates to dispensers for rolled self-adhesive articles with a backing layer, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a dispenser for rolled, self-adhesive postage stamps, labels and other self-adhesive articles.
Self-adhesive articles have long been problematic in the past for daily usage, especially with regards to removing the weakly adhered back from self-adhesive postage stamps and self-adhesive labels. The self-stick adhesive allows for the stamps and labels to be removed by peeling off the backing layer. Office workers utilize these self-adhesive products all day long, and are in need of a reliable means for easily separating the backing from the self-adhesive article. More and more articles are utilizing the technology of self-adhesive articles with a backing layer made into a roll product, as the public demands more and more convenience items. In keeping pace with this technology, one of the many applications utilizing the self-adhesive technology includes the United States Postal Service which sells self-adhesive postage stamps that include elongated strips of paper stamps having a pre-gummed backing loosely adhered to a waxy backing layer. These postage stamps can be obtained in strips that are supported by the waxy backing layer and wound into rolls. Many previous products for dispensing self-adhesive materials, including postage stamps and labels, have proven to be unreliable, complex and require some physical effort. Prior art devices have attempted to provide such a separating dispenser, although they have not met with any great success. Without the features of the present invention, the prior art dispensers did not separate quite as nicely, nor did the self-adhesive article stick straight up, perfectly separated from the waxy backing layer all the time. Consequently, there continues to be a need for a device that is compact, easy-to-use, reliable, lightweight and economical.
It would be advantageous to have such an improved dispenser for automatically separating the self-adhesive articles, such as U.S. Post Office pre-gummed stamps, from the waxy backing layer. Besides the use with postage stamps, it would also be advantageous for such a dispenser to find utility with other self-adhesive strip materials, including stickers and labels. The device should be reliable and simplify the dispensing of self-adhesive materials as compared to the physical and mental effort required to properly use products currently available for dispensing self-adhesive materials.
A separating dispenser is desirable which will perfectly dispense the self-adhesive articles every time. Furthermore, the self-adhesive articles should be separated from the backing layer in such a manner that the stamp or label being removed from the backing layer will stick straight up, for ready handling and usage. Conventionally, there is a great tendency for the stamp or label to stick to the backing layer such that the self-adhesive article will not cleanly be separated, nor will the stamp end up in a configuration for truly easy removal. Usually, the stamp would somewhat follow the backing layer, and the user would have to do nearly as much work to separate he stamp from the backing layer, just in a different location.
In accordance with the above objectives and advantages, the present invention provides a separating dispenser for holding rolled self-adhesive articles, which need to be separated from the backing layer. The improved dispenser of the present invention automatically separates the self-adhesive articles, such as post office stamps, from the backing layer. The present invention is also adaptable for use with many other rolled self-adhesive labels, stickers and the like. The separating dispenser of the present invention perfectly dispenses self-adhesive articles every time, by separating the backing layer in a manner that the stamp being removed from the backing layer will stick straight up, ready to be handled by the user in an easy and reliable manner. In the prior art devices, the stamp tends to follow the backing layer through the dispenser, and the user is confronted with performing the same service whether the self-adhesive stamp is inside or outside the dispenser.
With reference to the preferred embodiment for the use of the dispenser for post office stamps, the dispenser includes a container having an interior space for receiving a roll of self-stick postage stamps therein. As is well known, 100 stamps are sold by the post office in a roll. The container has a slit which is adapted to allow linear passage there through of self-stick postage stamps. Adjacent to the slit and laterally off set therefrom is a guide bar wedge located next to guide pins, which are opened in the center. The guide bar wedge includes a small bar or wedge which is a higher than the guide pins in order to separate the backing from the stamp before the backing layer is received under the guide pins. Although it is preferable to use a pair of alternately disposed guide pins, the present invention also contemplates the use of a single, continuous guide pin.
In operation, the container is opened and a roll of self-stick postage stamps is placed therein. Of course, other self-adhesive materials made be included in this container, although within this discussion, we will restrict our comments to the use of self-adhesive postage stamps. The end of the self-stick postage stamps is passed-upwardly through the slit, the backing is pulled over the guide bar wedge, and the backing is slipped under the guide pins. Now, as the backing is pulled laterally, the self-stick postage stamps separate from the backing as the self-stick postage stamp advances outwardly through the slit. Following this operation, the postage stamp, now without the backing attached thereto, sticks straight up and is easy for the user to grab hold.
The following structural features aid in the facilitation of the operation of the above described dispenser. A lid is preferably provided which snappingly engages the body of the container and which has formed therein a slit. The guide bar or guide bar wedge, depending on which embodiment is used, is connected to the exterior side of the lid, proximal to the slit. Attached to the interior side of the lid is a stamp roll container for holding the roll of self-stick postage stamps. An optional cutter, preferably in the form of a thin serrated edge, may be adhered to the lid in a spatial relation to the guide bar or the guide bar wedge for providing a convenient cutting location for the excess backing layer which is generated by separating it from self-adhesive stamps. The container may also be weighted and the bottom side thereof may be provided with a non-slip pad or mat so as to resist a tendency to lift or slide when the backing is pulled.
In yet another embodiment, it may be preferred to provide an alternative configuration wherein the bottom side of the lid is releasably attachable to a base such as for example by hook and eye releasable adhesive material, such as, for example, VELCRO (xe2x80x9cVelcroxe2x80x9d is a registered trademark of Velcro Industries, Inc., of the United States).